Known from documentation IT No. FI93A128 published by the Italian Patent Office and corresponding to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/273,023 filed on Jul. 8, 1994 (hereby incorporated by reference). This document describes a method for joining the two edges of a knitted tubular article such as a sock, comprising the initial step of manufacturing the article by beginning from the elastic hem and finishing on the side of the toe which is left open, by means of a circular machine, which method includes the following additional operating steps: --disposing the last-to-form stitches of a first semirank (the term rank being used herein to refer to a knit course or stitch course, and the term semirank being used herein to refer to half of a knit course or a partial knit course) onto the knitting needles of a second semirank of the stitches through a 180.degree. overturning thereof about a diametral axis of the needles cylinder, so that the pairs of stitches of the first and second semiranks will result in retained position on the needles of the second semirank; --lowering the needles of the second semirank, with the sinkers being open, so as to move the stitches of the first and second semiranks to a level beneath that of the sinkers; --lifting the needles of the second semirank, with the sinkers being closed, so that the corresponding pairs of stitches of the first and second semiranks will result retained by the sinkers in a predetermined position relative to the stem of the respective needles; --lifting farther the needles of the second semirank, with the sinkers being open, until all the corresponding pairs of stitches will reach the operating level of the transfer means of the first semirank, so as to have the stitches retained by the transfer means; --lowering the needles of the second semirank so as to have the article released from the knitting needles and the stitches of the first and second semiranks picked up by the transfer means; --disposing the article, with the thus removed stitches, at a predetermined distance from the knitting cylinder; --disposing the thus transferred stitches so as to have them angularly equidistant, with a circular pitch being preset according to the required degree of hook-up fineness; --linking the corresponding pairs of stitches thus disposed to form a chain and, upon completion of the linking operation, making one or more knob for closing the chain; --cutting the linking thread; --releasing the thus joined pairs of stitches of the first and second semiranks to allow the article to be removed in its final, right side our condition.
It may be useful to point out that a stitch is intended in its retained position when it is fitted on a latch needle and at a level between the needle beard hook and the free end of the latch, the latter being in its fully open condition.
The operating method indicated above implies carrying out the above mentioned linking operation with the sock in its right side out condition. This requires special care and accuracy in the execution of the hook-up as this is made on the outer side of the article toe. Moreover, it is necessary to insert the terminal length of the linking thread inside the article after the execution of the chain closing knots to prevent it from being visible on the finished product.